- Reckitt, the British consumer goods firm has introduced a social impact program in the United States
- The five-year initiative, named Catalyst, will provide support to early-stage companies
- The program involves an investment of £10 million ($13.3 million) in capital plus mentoring for startups
Reckitt, the British consumer goods firm with brands like Lysol and Mucinex, has introduced a social impact investment platform in the US by the name Catalyst.
The five-year program involves £10 million ($13.3 million) of funding and mentorship committed to early-stage businesses and diverse founders.
The initiative seeks to help 200 founders and engage with 5 million individuals with health and hygiene solutions by 2030. Three U.S. startups have been chosen for the inaugural cohort.
Following Jérôme Lemaire, President of Reckitt North America, and Catalyst aims to promote grassroots entrepreneurship with a high degree of focus on measurable impact.
The first U.S. cohort consists of Ema, an AI-driven women's health platform; Zócalo Health, a healthcare organization for Latino communities; and Attane Health, a nutrition-based startup.
Jérôme stressed that the chosen startups demonstrate the program's objective to cater to varied community needs. Eligible U.S. businesses may apply via Reckitt's official website.
Tennis champion and investor Serena Williams is now Reckitt's first Entrepreneur in Residence. She will help select ventures and mentor the founder participants.
Williams, who founded Serena Ventures in 2017 to support women and founders of color, noted that giving under-resourced communities access to investment, mentorship, and meaningful support can drive successful solutions.
Jérôme also emphasized the significance of working with entrepreneurs who have an in-depth understanding of local issues especially since health care systems in all parts of the world are facing increasing demands and the climate crisis exacerbates existing inequalities. In the United States alone, many communities remain without access to healthcare services that they need.
Reckitt is going to invest in more than two dozen U.S. businesses through Catalyst, offering seed money or advisory assistance depending on their needs. The program is more about long-term impact than scale and may reinvest in previous participants.
Since its inception in 2020, Catalyst has supported over 60 start-ups in 13 nations. Catalyst collaborates with Acumen America, Yunus Social Innovation, and the Health Innovation Exchange, which is a United Nations–affiliated platform connecting startups, investors, academia, and governments.
